It's not every day that top execs at Microsoft and Google profess their admiration for the CEO of Apple.
Shortly after Tim Cook proudly declared in a BusinessWeek article that he is gay, some of the biggest names in tech and business publicly announced their support and admiration for his announcement.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said he was "inspired" by Cook's decision. Top Google exec Sundar Pichai said Cook's announcement was "inspiring" and "will make a difference." Box founder Aaron Levie called the news "super badass."
Inspired by @tim_cook: “Life’s most persistent & urgent question is ‘What are you doing for others?’" http://t.co/wjzW5QPxqY via @BW— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) October 30, 2014
@om @tim_cook really inspiring and this will make a difference— sundarpichai (@sundarpichai) October 30, 2014
Right on, @tim_cook— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 30, 2014
Inspirational words from Apple CEO Tim Cook on being gay, and standing up for equality http://t.co/5UXOc6vGY9— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) October 30, 2014
Super badass. http://t.co/nBIP4lszXn— Aaron Levie (@levie) October 30, 2014
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Those who have worked or currently work at Apple were similarly supportive of Cook -- though for many, the announcement wasn't exactly a surprise. As Cook wrote in the BusinessWeek article, "plenty of colleagues at Apple know I'm gay."
"To be honest, Tim Cook being gay was the worst kept secret in Silicon Valley," Ken Chang, an interaction designer who worked at Apple from 2004-2011, said in an email to Mashable.
"That said, his public acknowledgement is bold and courageous, and I applaud him wholeheartedly. At a time when the LGBT community could use some prominent supporters, they don’t come bigger or better than Tim Cook."
@tim_cook = Courageous Proud to work for you and be your friend http://t.co/1yZEqvke9n— Philip Schiller (@pschiller) October 30, 2014
@tim_cook Proud of my friend and colleague! http://t.co/PzABpsoWWH— Eddy Cue (@cue) October 30, 2014
Very proud to work for this man: @tim_cook— Eric Vitiello (@pixel) October 30, 2014
I have to admit, this made me tear up a bit. So proud to work here. http://t.co/aOKua35tdi— Steve Ko (@stko) October 30, 2014
Go Tim! http://t.co/DmELtfUAqB pic.twitter.com/pobPKk7wS8— Ryan Jones (@rjonesy) October 30, 2014
The praise for Cook's words extended well beyond the tech industry with and entertainers and politicians weighing in too.
Proud of Tim Cook for using his voice and his influence to help others.— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) October 30, 2014
So proud of Apple CEO @tim_cook. "We pave the sunlit path toward justice together, brick by brick." Read his story http://t.co/iGtVNCb1XO— Jason Collins (@jasoncollins98) October 30, 2014
From one son of the South and sports fanatic to another, my hat's off to you, @Tim_cook. http://t.co/1dXvRa2Nhu— Bill Clinton (@billclinton) October 30, 2014
Rep. Barney Frank, an openly gay politician from Massachusetts, told CNBC he was "very grateful" to Cook for publicly announcing his sexual orientation. "That does such an enormous amount to diminish the negative feelings," Frank said.